August 22, 2008

Finally, A Cure For Chronic Back Pain?

If you don't suffer from back pain now, chances are you've either had it in the past or will get it in the future. Research studies show that seven in ten of us suffer from it at some time in our lives and it is one of the most common causes of sickness absence and disability in the western world. Even though the days when bed rest was the standard treatment for chronic back pain are long gone, the medical profession has yet to find a single effective solution that it can uniformly prescribe to remedy this condition.

But one back-pain treatment option for which there has been little funded research in the past is now making news in the medical community - the Alexander Technique (AT). AT sessions are usually one on one, and the onus is on exploration and awareness rather than on forcing and fixing things. The Alexander technique lessons involved "continuous personalized assessment of the individual patterns of habitual musculoskeletal use when stationary and in movement; paying particular attention to release of unwanted head, neck, and spinal muscle tension, guided by verbal instruction and hand contact, allowing decompression of the spine; help and feedback from hand contact and verbal instruction to improve musculoskeletal use when stationary and in movement," according to the study.

Filed under Lower Back Pain, Pain Relief by support

Spread the word

del.icio.us Digg Furl Reddit BlinkList blogmarks Ma.gnolia Rojo Simpy Spurl Wists Yahoo!

Permalink • Print • Email

August 12, 2008

Handle Headaches With Ease, Naturally

August is the month many people take time off from work for a summer break, but many of the things that make summer so much fun for most of us can make it miserable for others. For them, summer can be a real headache. Migraines are more than just occasional, minor headaches. Not only do they produce significant pain and suffering in susceptible individuals, they're also linked to a higher risk of stroke. Migraine headache can affect anyone, but they're roughly three times more common in women than in men. More than two-thirds of cases occur in women between the ages of 15 and 55.

In most cases, the onset of symptoms is associated with specific substances or situations called triggers. Common triggers for headaches and migraines include stress, fatigue and hunger. For everyone, but especially those who suffer from chronic headaches or migraines, a recent survey by the National Headache Foundation found 75% of those questioned reported being unable to participate in outdoor activities due to headaches caused by changes in altitude, weather or wind - in addition to stormy weather. Danish researchers report that a third of a teaspoon of fresh or powdered ginger, taken at the first sign of migraine, may reduce symptoms by blocking prostaglandins, chemicals that inflame blood vessels in the brain. Since it gets darker later in the summer, people tend to get off their meal and sleep schedules, which can also trigger headaches - so it is important to stay on track.

Filed under migraine, Headaches by support

Spread the word

del.icio.us Digg Furl Reddit BlinkList blogmarks Ma.gnolia Rojo Simpy Spurl Wists Yahoo!

Permalink • Print • Email • Comment

July 28, 2008

Managing Arthritis In Kids

Arthritis is one of the most debilitating ailments that people suffer from. Many people delay joints replacement due to fear, misinformation, or a lack of awareness about their treatment options. And they unnecessarily live with the physical pain, stiffness and reduced mobility that affects many areas of their daily lives and limits activities they enjoy to accommodate the symptoms of the disease. Proper medical guidance and suitable surgical intervention can help regain the joy of motion for the patient.

It's not known what causes arthritis in children. In case of arthritis, if an earlier and accurate diagnosis is made and appropriate treatment started it is extremely beneficial for the patient and the disease can be managed better. There are just certain times in person's life when taking all kinds of pain medication isn't a good idea or when a person simply prefers to not have to deal with the side effects and dangers of lab created drugs. One problem is treatment. There are only a handful of pediatric rheumatologists in the country.

The use of essential oils can provide relief for neck pain, upper back pain, and relieve the inflammation in the hands and shoulders. While we are on the subject of constantly painful diseases, herbal remedies have also shown promise in treating chronic pain syndrome.

Filed under Arthritis, Pain Relief by support

Spread the word

del.icio.us Digg Furl Reddit BlinkList blogmarks Ma.gnolia Rojo Simpy Spurl Wists Yahoo!

Permalink • Print • Email • Comment

July 24, 2008

Relieving Hip Pain Less Invasively

Relief from hip pain used to mean undergoing surgery for hip replacement or resurfacing. There now is a much less invasive procedure can repair the tissue around the joint to get rid of the pain. Typical symptoms of hip pain included those felt in the groin areas, often giving the misconception that the pain comes from the outside part of the leg but actually, it start in the inside.

Hip arthroscopy is a less invasive hip procedure where surgeons place tiny cameras inside the hip to help see where they need to repair tissue and what areas around the hip socket are damaged. In some patients, arthroscopy can delay or even remove the need for a total hip replacement. The arthroscopic approach uses smaller incisions and offers quicker recovery and longer-lasting pain relief.

Physical therapy is one thing that can help ease the symptoms of hips pain and also hasten the healing of Hip Arthroscopy. People suffering from this kind of pain are better off seeking medical attention for immediate relief and healthier treatment.

Filed under Joint Pain, Pain Relief by support

Spread the word

del.icio.us Digg Furl Reddit BlinkList blogmarks Ma.gnolia Rojo Simpy Spurl Wists Yahoo!

Permalink • Print • Email • Comment

July 23, 2008

Back Pain Can Also Be Considered An Arthritis Complication

Knee and lower back pain are common and costly ailments that can result from several causes, including injury, being overweight, or simply muscle stress and strain. Sufferers who experience knee or lower back discomfort and the many difficulties their pain may cause should first look into this effective solution. These over-the-counter products are fairly inexpensive and can be found at various retail locations, including drugstores. Most of us never consider that the back pain we are experiencing might be a form of arthritis. In fact, the pain caused by lumbar facet arthritis can be extremely severe and should be addressed by a physician, specifically a pain medicine specialist.

There are several treatment options for knee and lower back pain, but they can be expensive. Back pain can be a sign of a serious medical problem, although this is not most frequently the underlying cause:

* Typical warning signs of a potentially life-threatening problem are bowel and/or bladder incontinence or progressive weakness in the legs.

* Severe back pain (such as pain that is bad enough to interrupt sleep) that occurs with other signs of severe illness (e.g. fever, unexplained weight loss) may also indicate a serious underlying medical condition.

* Back pain that occurs after a trauma, such as a car accident or fall may indicate a bone fracture or other injury.

* Back pain in individuals with medical conditions that put them at high risk for a spinal fracture, such as osteoporosis or multiple myeloma, also warrants prompt medical attention.

* Back pain in individuals with a history of cancer (especially cancers known to spread to the spine like breast, lung and prostate cancer) should be evaluated to rule out metastatic disease of the spine.

A few observational studies suggest that two conditions to which back pain is often attributed, lumbar disc herniation and degenerative disc disease may not be more prevalent among those in pain than among the general population, and that the mechanisms by which these conditions might cause pain are not known.

If the lumbar facet joints are not aligned correctly, the cartilage surrounding the joints can wear away. This causes the joints to press together bone to bone, which often results in the development of arthritis. If you are diagnosed with lumbar facet arthritis, there are a number of different treatment options available to you. One nonsurgical option that has helped many lumbar facet arthritis patients is radiofrequency ablation, a procedure that uses an electrical current produced by a radio wave to decrease the pain.

Filed under Lower Back Pain by support